Roger's Reincarnation
by usoppkamisama
Summary: Monkey D. Luffy was a force to be reckoned with and the world were aware of it. But the individuals who personally had met the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger knew why this snotty boy with straw hat had something more in him. As he was the one chosen to continue Roger's legacy.


The first time Shanks met this boy in East Blue, the red haired captain knew that he was the one.

He yelled out pointless dreams with such conviction and paid no heed to the sneers and outraged opposition staring down at him in disapproval. The boy completely disregarded it and wore that overly large grin. Shanks was soon infatuated with this boy, he knew the boy was something, someone that he had been searching for over 20 years.

He was just like Roger.

The boy had such striking resemblance to his late captain, a big, wide, genuine and easygoing grin that had such horrifying ability to enthrall anyone directed to it.

Shanks wasn't any different.

Without him knowing, he had wrapped Shanks around his little finger. He was just like Roger, and he was aware that the Will of D. would never die, as long as Shanks protect this boy.

The fire was still there, blazing violently even after 20 years.

The scarlet haired man was more than happy to sacrifice his left arm, no – his whole life for this boy, for his affection for this boy and for the sake of his late captain's unspoken wish.

He knew his captain, for he was the one given that precious hat to.

He had wanted someone to inherit his will that he could not fulfill due to his terminal illness and he had been waiting, waiting even until his death until someone worthy enough to reborn and inherit that will.

"Why do you want to be a pirate?" Shanks couldn't help but ask this question to the young boy, he wanted to assess his worth, if he was the chosen one by Roger to set out to the sea and and complete the missing puzzle that Roger had structured for years.

His response sent a wide smirk to Shanks, a wide approving smirk. Eyes glimmering in determination, big dream as big as the sea and an unbelievably grin on his lips, "I want to be free. A pirate means that you're free right?"

That was it. That was the only thing Shanks needed.

Monkey D. Luffy will become the leader of the New Age of Piracy and Shanks was going to be the first bidder of it.

He would wait for the great return, no matter how long it would take.

His arm was the price for his bid but he didn't seem fazed by it. He didn't regret the idea, he was rather happy with his reckless decision that later got him several bumps from his worried crewmates, most of them came from Benn himself.

It was time for the veteran pirates to leave and Luffy was accepting to the idea, he too wanted to be a pirate after all and fully knew that he could not be kept in one island forever.

"Will you miss us?"

"Mm, I will not ask you to bring me anymore. I will become a pirate myself"

Shanks chuckled before his maturity drained away; he stuck his tongue and teased the kid mercilessly, "Like you have what it takes to be a pirate anyway!"

Of course, Luffy was one reactive boy, which was the main reason why Shanks loved the kid so much, "Of course I do! I will find nakama that are stronger and greater than you guys and I will find One Piece and become the Pirate King!" He declared loudly, his voice loud and strong even for a 7 years old and Shanks eyes twinkled in pride.

"Oh, you want to become stronger than us huh?"

He continued to watch the determined, slightly miffed Luffy's face before a flash of image ran through his mind, his late captain, grinning with that famous 'D' smile of his.

 _Captain… is that…?_

Shanks grin widened before he plucked his straw hat off him, his head felt light the small uncomfortable exposure from the sunlight, alas it was a new feeling, like a heavy weight lifting off him. He knew he will miss that hat but he was certain that the new owner of this hat will surely take care of it.

It was as if he had given Luffy Roger's will, in a metaphorical form of Roger's hat, the only intangible remaining of his adventure and dreams.

Luffy was shocked to have that hat on top of his head, Shanks had never let him touch his hat at all and he could feel the honour and responsibility build up in his chest, "I will entrust you with this hat. I want you to give it back to me when you've become a great pirate."

Luffy nodded, tears streamed down his face and Shanks smiled fondly before turning around and taking off, "RAISE THE ANCHOR!"

Shanks knew that Luffy was the chosen one, the one that he had been waiting for 20 years to inherit Roger's legacy and he knew that Roger's soul will always watch over this small boy to make sure that he would, one day reach his dream and stand at the top.

Naguri was a pirate who retired but still had that fire in him, something that was calling him back to the sea. He knew he didn't have that much time, but he still wanted to return, the unpredictable place he called home, the sea, something in him was telling him that he shouldn't waste his time dwelling in an island in East Blue.

Roger had spared his life and he won't let it waste.

He was certain, after he had finished reconstructing his ship that he would go back and try to find his nakama again but a small discovery of a boy living in a forest willingly forced him to stay in this small island for a little longer.

A boy who had the same shine as Roger did.

Naguri didn't know the late pirate too well, but he knew that he was a great man, forgiving and defies logic and those were the exact description for the small boy he had met.

Monkey D. Luffy was his name.

He had a straw hat perched on his head and it looked awfully familiar, could it be Roger's? Or he probably saw it somewhere worn by someone in Roger's ship.

Who knows.

He was a pretty well known kid, part of the three famous brats that robbed and defeat countless of formidable thugs in Grey Terminal, but nothing really lost the shine and innocence that radiated from him.

He had encountered that small boy again when he rescued him from a bear attack and somehow received his utmost attention. He begged him to teach him to fight and the old man who found nothing better to do with his life and decided to comply with the child's request.

Naguri could admit that he was having fun, the brat couldn't be smarter in combat though he just needed some practice and control with his devil fruit. It slightly relieved him that the boy liked his devil fruit, despite being a quite useless fruit in comparison to other types such as Logia or Mythical Zoan, the old man believed that he would become someone great one day.

"I wonder what Ace and Sabo are doing right now" The little boy mused slightly loudly, earning the attention of the old man. They were taking rest since it was already dark and they needed to make fire to cook up the fishes they caught in the afternoon.

"Maybe sleeping?" Naguri offered and Luffy nodded in agreement, "I wonder if they miss me."

"I'm sure they do"

A grin broke out on his lips, it was impossibly big that even the veteran pirate thought his face would break, "Yeah! I love Ace and Sabo!"

The old man's face widened, was his eyes fooling him, he just saw Roger smiling towards him but it soon recovered to the face of the familiar little boy.

A grin flashed onto the old Naguri's face, "I know."

 _Roger… welcome back._

Buggy hated this kid, he hated that kid with red vest, aggravatingly familiar straw hat and that impossibly wide grin.

He had publicly disgraced him, sent out his body parts all over the sea and gotten away from his execution and had him survive the whole ordeal.

It was because of his devil's luck.

To top it all off, he had to escape from that marine captain's hold.

But something in him couldn't leave that boy alone, the boy that had a striking resemblance to his captain.

Buggy never really had any attachment to Roger, or to the Jolly Pirates but Buggy had his reasons to follow that man. He never followed any man aside from him.

Buggy was a pathetically prideful man who only accepted his opinions and none from others, but Roger was an exception. He was a fool, Buggy would admit (rather quietly) but he had his moments where Buggy felt proud to pronounce that Gol D. Roger was his captain.

He did not have any problem of Roger being the pirate king as well. Buggy respected that man.

And Luffy, was the only one that was close to earn Buggy's respect. He was selfless, a fool and incredibly lucky. Buggy nearly disassembled all of his limbs into small particles in shock after encountering Straw Hat breaking into Impel Down for the sake of saving his brother and Buggy wouldn't admit this but his respect for the snotty brat went up few notches.

Being in an 'alliance' with Straw Hat and entered the War of the Best was due to future public reputation but watching Luffy sacrificing his life and fighting against rounds of marines that even Luffy was sure out of his league made Buggy understand Luffy even further.

The little brat was an unpredictable bastard, from entering to the war by falling off the sky and going against Whitebeard without a hint of fear and then finding out that his father was the most wanted man alive was something that Buggy could not even guess no matter how long he would've lived.

But Buggy knew that Luffy, one day will be a force to be reckoned with and he won't be just an infamous rookie brat. He would so much, someone more, someone more powerful and everyone would have to watch out for him.

Buggy knew that he was going against someone like Luffy and he might wonder, the day when Monkey D. Luffy becomes the pirate king he would step down and respect that man he used to 'fight' against back in East Blue.

Maybe he would.

"We'll find out when we get there!" A boy with a scar under his left eye grinned happily before continuing his meal.

Clover's eyes widened before a wave of nostalgia rushed through his mind, that same grin and easygoing and thoughtless remark, lacking sense of danger despite being in the most dangerous sea in the world.

Just like Roger.

This boy was the man that he had been waiting for, he had given up on Rumbar Pirates and he was pretty sure that everyone had been annihilated and died by now. However this group of rookie pirates had provided him hope, hope to wait longer, to wait for something big to happen happen, an utter chaos and the perpetrator for the whole catastrophe would be this seemingly harmless group of pirates standing in front of him cluelessly.

Laboon seemed to like them as well.

That man, Monkey D. Luffy was exceptional.

Clover fought back a loud booming laugh, it was as if Roger had been alive all along and standing and fooling around right here.

Clover knew the man well, he was a sick man, emotionally and physically but nothing stopped him, he proved to the world as King, conquered the sea without any desire for these fortune and riches but limitless freedom. He had discovered One Piece, hid it in that 'place' and died without regrets, with that usual easy going smile of his.

He was a foolish man with an even more foolish dream, being a pirate meant that you'll be free? If Clover didn't meet that man beforehand he would have laughed at their faces and yelled out at their stupidity, but Roger proved him wrong.

Roger was a pirate, a fearsome pirate to boot but he was nowhere near fearsome, he regarded his nakama as family and treated them like one. He never put up any hierarchy and regarded everyone as equal, except when captain measures must be undertaken and Roger, as the official captain of the ship had to make decisions, even then he made good decisions and to prove it was every member of Oro Jackson were alive and kicking.

Clover was sure, Monkey D. Luffy will be just like Roger.

He chuckled to himself when Luffy, who he believed will become the Pirate King was kicked at the end of the cliff by the fiery navigator. He took a step closer and approached the frantic sniper and the bawling navigator, "I have spare log pose if you want."

He didn't feel anything as he watched the Pirate King's head decapitated in the hands of the marines in Loguetown. It was a rainy day, storm was coming but nothing stopped the spectators from attending the 'show' to watch the Pirate King's death.

Mihawk didn't think Roger as anything except a honourable man with an even more honourable death.

It had been over 20 years since his death and nothing really happened besides the birth of a new Age of Pirates that he found to be utterly disgusting. Honour, romantic dream of piracy seemed to dissipate at the hands of this new Age and Mihawk didn't want to have anything to do with it.

It was why he decided to join the Warlord and exclude himself from the world, nothing was fun anymore, not as fun as the last era. He was waiting, Shanks had lost his arm and it had automatically lost his interest to spar with the man knowing that he was handicapped.

He never knew, his visit to East Blue just to chase after a weak rabbit made him return home in a good mood.

He encountered a swordsman, deemed to be the strongest in East Blue. He didn't think much of it, the man with a peculiar hair colour wasn't a threat to him. He had fallen into petty taunts and had blindly attacked him instead.

But what he did impressed the swordsman, the choice of dying instead of losing.

How truly honourable.

He had a friend, or a captain who immediately attacked him when the unconscious swordsman fell to the sea and he could see the burning rage the straw hatted boy had for him.

He had encountered countless of pirates but no one had the exact burn in him, and he was just like what Shanks had told him about, reckless.

The swordsman couldn't help but spot striking resemblance with Roger, that contagious smile for his nakama, the love and care for his friends and of course, his high reachable dream.

Maybe this era wasn't so bad after all.

He smiled.

Smoker's eyes widened, he smiled the second before his death.

The smoking man could feel his tongue go dry and his eyes stayed glued to the direction of the execution tower. Smoker was going to give the respect for this young dead pirate for smiling and a slight tinge of disappointment washed through him.

He had respected Roger, though he would not admit it even if he had to die and his respect for for Monkey D. Luffy started to grow.

But unfortunately, he had to meet his end.

Alas, it was for the best of the world. Despite being a 'D' he was a pirate, and they had to be exterminated from the world.

That was the 'true justice' of marines, the death of pirates, bandits, criminals whatsoever.

He gaped at the sight of lightning sparks electrocuting right down to the execution tower, blinding the audience around. But Smoker knew better, no one can survive that magnitude of lightning, either way it was going to kill Monkey D. Luffy and the unlucky executioner. Buggy.

His convictions were proven wrong at the sight of a young man with red vest picking up a tattered straw hat at his feet before setting it on his head. He was smiling, laughing at that, screaming out to the world and the audience that he had survived, survived that horrific execution, that lightning.

As if the heavens didn't want him to die, just yet.

"H-He's alive!" Smoker choked when a marine yelled out in pure horror and disbelief that a man that was supposed to be killed, _twice_ was alive and kicking.

"Capture them" He didn't have time to dwell on Roger anymore, he had to catch these scum, it was his duty as a marine.

Even though he desperately wanted to let him go to see what kind of man he would become in the future.

Smoker fought back a smirk as he swarmed through with his beloved bicycle, he wasn't stupid, he knew those pirates were going to pass through this lane.

He was proven right when the familiar raven haired man with tattered straw hat and his blonde companion ran towards him. "Here at last? Straw Hat Luffy." He seethed and the said man stopped on his tracks, his eyebrows quirked in confusion as he gave a short attention to Smoker, "If you can't beat me, you will never be able to go to Grand Line"

The aspiring pirate king just let out a cheerful grin, but something was hidden in his eye, an unknown determination that blazed through his very soul, "I'll beat you and I'll enter the Grand Line"

"Cause, I'm the man who'll be the Pirate King!"

Smoker widened his eyes, he felt a wave of nostalgia rush through his mind.

 _Is he the chosen one?_

Smoker was disappointed, he had overestimated him. He was the chosen one from Roger and he was put down to his feet so easily. He sighed and shook his head, maybe he was wrong.

Either way he was going to finish him off, he grabbed his jutte and was ready to knock him out until a sudden force grabbed onto the end of his jutte.

He turned around so quickly that he could hear a crack on his neck, his eyes visibly widened again. He was a familiar man, too familiar that the man was probably the main topic in every marine meeting. Cloaked figure, tribal tattoo on the left side of his face and strong, haunting eyes.

Revolutionary Dragon.

"Wouldn't be nice if the marines have your head too?" Smoker taunted and the man's smirk widened, almost identical to Strawhat's.

"The world is waiting for our answer."

Wind started to blow the whole town and Smoker had to hold onto something before he got blown off too far, he cursed to himself, he had let Luffy go.

He was the first one.

Curse that Dragon.

Smoker was too stubborn for that, he would not tarnish his record. He would chase after Monkey D. Luffy even if he dies.

A small smirk played on his lips, how lucky could that man with straw hat be? Probably he was the chosen one.

"Call the headquarters, I am going to Grand Line."

Gan Fall was a good friend of Roger and even now, even after 20 years or so he still remembered that wide smile, raven hair and peculiar but well groomed moustache.

He had learned about his death and mourned over him for quite some time.

He had remembered the brief moment they spent together and believe him, no one could be as weird, distinctively unique as Roger.

When Monkey D. Luffy arrived in Skypeia as the first visitor since ever, Gan Fall immediately recognized this man, the man wearing a straw hat, infectious grin and red vest.

He had briefly remembered that Roger liked red too.

He gave the man a whistle not because they were completely unaware of different currency between Sky Island and Blue Sea but because he had given the old God, nostalgia over his dead friend.

He didn't expect things to be ugly and his God status to be revived from him.

He eternally thanked the man.

He would never have dreamed of unity between Shandians and Skypeians. He would never have dreamed that Enel and those priests to be completely obliterated in the hands of these Blue Sea dwellers. He would never have expected that he would gain another friend again, a friend that he believed would be the Pirate King, the title Roger acquired.

This man was stupid, just like Roger but incredibly selfless that it would make a saint felt guilty for talking to him. He knew that man would be another force to be recognized, he just knew it.

He was a God that didn't support reincarnation, but maybe he would start believing that Roger had returned after 22 long agonising year to turn the world upside down and change everything under his feet.

He couldn't wait until Straw Hat Luffy becomes a Pirate King.

When the time comes, Gan Fall would be very pleased.

Rayleigh had waited for so long to meet this boy, the boy that Shanks spoke so fondly of. His eyes were literally shining despite the missing limb he had and the absence of his treasured straw hat.

But he had met the boy at the wrong time though.

But he was deeply amused.

He approved of the boy already.

He managed to steal a glance at Luffy's recent shenanigan, or rather heavy crime. He had punched a tenryuubito.

Rayleigh forced back a laugh, he was even crazier than Shanks described.

Everything went into chaos and even his crew contributed to the damage of other tenryuubito in presence.

But now he didn't have the time to watch such amusing sight, he had to save his friend's friend. The green haired mermaid inside a rather fishbowl and help his injured friend laying down on the stairs, Hachi.

He thanked Luffy internally for standing up to the fishman, he was his friend and the fact that Monkey D. Luffy was willing to go against the world for just one friend impressed him to no end.

Monkey D. Luffy had earned his respect.

"Monkey D. Luffy, I've always wanted to meet you."

His conversation with Luffy were pleasant so far, everything amused him. The man acted too much like Roger and Shanks combined that it couldn't help but made the retired pirate feel nostalgic of his adventures in the sea, 20 years ago.

He was just like Roger, his big dream with that contagious smile, extreme hunger and appetite and lacking sense of logic and thoughts. He could see them judging by his nakama's exhausted expressions. He knew the man was trouble, he had heard enough from Shakky. The havocs he made, it made Rayleigh chuckle sometimes and his want to meet the kid increased even more. He knew the boy was pretty lucky, scratch that, extremely lucky that Rayleigh was pretty sure he had asked demons to guide him, or could it be from the heaven's initiatives?

Who knows.

Shanks and Luffy shared pretty identical features and the old man sometimes hoped that Luffy would gain something positive out of the two. The man obviously loved to party, just like Shanks. Seriously, if the man shouldn't have called his pirate group Red Haired Pirates because it lacked sense of creativity despite it being a striking feature of the captain. If the man had asked for advice for his pirate name to Rayleigh, the old man would have strongly suggested the Party Pirates.

Being serious now, Rayleigh needed to test this man, the man who blatantly raided the fridge of a stranger and shoved in unholy amount of food inside his rubbery mouth. He wanted to satiate himself from this growing curiosity that lurked inside his mind. He wanted to test this man's worth.

If he was worthy enough for that straw hat, worthy enough to deliver Roger's legacy.

"Hey kid, can you conquer the sea like Grand Line?"

He had expected a 'Yes' full of conviction or probably an obnoxious answer that will probably won't be so obnoxious when he arrived to New World, but the response was something that even surprised Rayleigh to no end, "I don't want to conquer anything. Pirate King has the most freedom of the sea!"

His eyes widened and so was his smile.

 _Roger, is this what you mean?_

Monkey D. Luffy was worth it.

The man knew the kid, he knew the kid so well based on Ace's ramblings. Sometimes, the strongest man in the world would like to rip his ear off and donate it to the much needed ones.

But he couldn't help but to feel curious at this kid who Ace talked so fondly of. He knew he had to be patient because sooner or later, he would cross path with the man soon.

He was right.

Ace, the dumbass decided to be caught by the marines and now was going to be executed. Of course, the Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't let this slide and ignore their family. Ace was an important member of the Whitebeard Pirates, just like everybody else within Moby Dick and its allies.

Whitebeard was ready for this, he was ready to pummel these white coated marines to the end of the the earth with his tremor.

What he didn't expect was the arrival of another marine warship that was filled with ironically the worst criminals of the world.

And much to Whitebeard's amusement, the leader of this fleet turned out to be Monkey D. Luffy.

He already liked the kid, he had 'saved' him from Crocodile's sorry attempt to execute him and even tried to stand out from him.

His eyes narrowed at the sight of the familiar straw hat, Red Haired Shanks' straw hat.

Then it hit him, was it this snot nosed brat who Shanks bet on the New Age for, the brat that Shanks sacrificed his arm and gave his treasured straw hat for?

The kid impressed him to no end but the veteran pirate wasn't going to admit it, not until he knew the man well. He wanted to know if he was the right man, the man that carried Roger's legacy, the Will of D.

"This war is out of your league!"

Luffy looked down and Whitebeard was pretty sure that he was going to run away crying and if he did Ace was going to go back to his assassin mode before he accepted into becoming a Whitebeard pirate.

He groaned internally, but it was for good.

What he didn't expect was Luffy yelling out in rage, "Shut up! You're not the one to decide!"

"You want to be the pirate king right? You can't! Because I will be the Pirate King!" He yelled out confidently, placing his hands on either side of his hips.

The two stood there having staring contest, wondering who will back down soon but no avail, both were too stubborn.

A small smirk formed on his lips, the brat had guts.

"You're pretty cheeky. Don't slow me down kid."

As the war continued, the snot nosed brat had guts. He arrived with bunch of criminals and allies that even Whitebeard could not comprehend would work together, Boa Hancock the famous man hater that even Whitebeard wasn't an exception seemed to be fond of him and he did notice a tinge of blush when the two interacted.

Bust most of all, Conqueror's Haki.

He knew it.

He so knew it.

His smirk got wider, he was the chosen one, he was the one that may possess the Will of D. The will that soon overturn the world.

Monkey D. Luffy may be the man that proved to him eligible enough to turn the world upside down, but Whitebeard was still adamant in having Ace to be the next Pirate King.

He was going to protect the kid, he was a candidate for Roger's legacy and as a rival and a good friend of his, he would help Roger in any way he could.

Foremost of all, Monkey D. Luffy received his utmost approval.

Though the kid didn't seem to give a single shit.

Brat.

 **Just some side notes. When Rayleigh said to himself 'Roger, is this what you mean?' was when the two were in the bar when Roger was still alive and Roger said 'I won't die, partner'. Just gotta point that out.**


End file.
